Bonnie
by MeganKoumori
Summary: Bonnie tells the tale of her most special toy...and of her grandfather.
1. Chapter 1

1:

* * *

Bonnie knelt on the bedroom floor, Buzz Lightyear clutched in one hand, Jessie in the other. A cotton handkerchief was attached via scotch tape to the Cowgirl's hat. She bobbed Buzz up and down. _"Out of our way, you Fiends! Jessie and I are going to get married and there's nothing you do can stop us!"_

Mason sat across from her holding his Reptillus Maximus Battlesaur. Rex and Trixie stood by his crossed legs. _"Never! You know True Love is outlawed in these parts! Jessie shall marry ME and be my Dinosaur Queen! Mwhahaha!"_

"Oh no!" Bonnie gasped. She twisted around. Behind her, Woody lay motionless on the floor. "Sheriff Woody!" She said as she picked him up. "Is there anything you can do to save us?" She tugged the string on his back.

 _"I'd like to join your posse, Boys, but first I'm gonna sing a little song..."_

Bonnie's face lit up. "That's it!" Holding all three dolls, she jumped to her feet. Mason stared at her curiously.

"What are you..."

Bonnie cleared her throat. _"I'm getting married in the moooorin'..."_

"Singing?"

Bonnie waved her toys back in forth as though they were engaged in a three part harmony. _"Ding dong the bells are gonna chime..."_

Now Mason understood. He grinned as he thrashed Reptillus back and forth. _"No! Not singing! My one weakness! Argh!"_

 _"Go ahead and kiss me! Tell me you miss me! But get me to the church! Get me to the church! Get me to the church onnnnnn timeeeee!"_ Bonnie ended with a grand spinning flourish. Mason broke character long enough to give applause and she bowed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

With Reptillus defeated, the toys "raced" to the altar where Pricklepants was set up as preacher. _"Do you take this Spaceman to be your awfully wedded husband and promise to save the Universe together to Infinity and Beyond?"_ said Mason.

 _"Yeee-hah! I do I do I do!"_

 _"Then I pronounce you Spaceman and Cow-Wife! You may kiss the bride!"_ Bonnie mashed Jessie and Buzz's faces together. The sight of the two toys "kissing" finally broke the children and they burst into peals of laughter. Mason collapsed on the floor, holding his stomach. Bonnie lay down next to him.

After the laughing fit had ceased, Mason rolled over and reached for Reptillus. "Even though he 'lost' Reptillus is still my favorite." He twirled the Battlesaur's staff.

There was a quiet moment.

"So..." Mason lowered Reptillus from his line of sight. "Who's your favorite?"

"Of the Battlesaurs? Ray-Gon's pretty cute..."

"Not of the Battlesaurs. I meant your favorite toy. It's Woody, isn't it? You always have him save the day."

Bonnie stared the ceiling. "No..." she said slowly. "Not really..."

"Then is it Jessie?"

"Um, no..."

"Pricklepants?"

Bonnie sat up. "I don't...really have favorites. Not like that. I like all my toys."

"Well duh. Of course you like all your toys. But don't you have one that's _extra_ special? One you wouldn't give up for anything? Even if the Earth was crashing into the Sun and blasting the toy off on a rocket ship was the only way to save the planet?"

A small smile played on Bonnie's face. "Actually, I do..."

"I knew it!" Mason said triumphantly. "It's Totoro, right?"

Bonnie was already at her wicker toy basket, digging to the bottom. When she emerged, her hair was mussed and in her hand she held a small blue haired clown doll in overalls. She handed him into Mason who examined the toy in surprise.

"This? This is your favorite?"

"He's my most special," said Bonnie. "The toy I wouldn't give up even if the Earth was crashing into the sun."

Mason ran his fingers over the green stitches on the toy's side. "He got busted, huh?"

"Yeah, but I fixed him up. That's part of what makes him so special." She leaned forward, a mischievous grin on her face. "Want me you to tell you the story?" She whispered.

Mason looked behind him, then leaned forward too. "Yes!" He whispered back.

"Okay, it all started a couple years ago right before Thanksgiving..."


	2. Chapter 2

2:

* * *

Mrs. Anderson looked around the empty Butterfly Room in dismay. Toys were scattered everywhere. "College students," she muttered. "Why did we hire college students?"

Bonnie peeked out from behind her mother's leg. Reaching down, Mrs. Anderson gave her daughter an affectionate ruffle of the hair. "Sorry Bonnie, looks like we're going to be here a little while longer. Everyone else went home for the holiday break."

As she knelt down, picking up toys from the floor, Bonnie piped up. "I'll help you, Mommy."

"Thank you, Pumpkin." She grinned. "Tell you what! Let's make this fun! Let's see how fast we can get this done, okay?"

"Okay!" Bonnie agreed enthusiastically.

"Oh your mark...Get set... _Go Speed Racer Go!"_

Bonnie laughed and tore across the room, scooping up as many toys in her arms as she could. She dropped them in buckets and placed them on shelves, then ran back to find more.

"Don't forget to look under things, okay?" Mrs. Anderson called from where she was disinfecting the craft table.

Dropping to her knees, Bonnie reached under the green recliner and began to pull things out. "It's like a treasure hunt, Mommy!" She called as toys began to emerge. "I got a tractor and ooh a yummy cheeseburger and...oh no!"

Mrs. Anderson stopped wiping the table and turned. "What's wrong?"

Bonnie was holding a clown doll in her hands. She held it up so her mother could see stuffing spilling out of a popped seam on its side. "This one is broken!"

As Bonnie walked over and held the toy up to Mrs. Anderson, she took the clown in her hands and turned him over. "Poor fellow looks like he's seen better days..."

Bonnie stuck out her lower lip. "Can we help him?"

"All right," Mrs. Anderson placed the clown in the pocket of her vest. "But first, let's get this place tidied up!"

"Yes!" Bonnie cheered. She placed her face close to her mother's pocket and whispered, "Don't worry, Mister Clown! We'll have you feeling better in no time!"

* * *

In the car Bonnie was strapped tightly to her safety seat. Still she tried to lean forward. "Can I see Mister Clown?"

Mrs. Anderson reached into her coat and pulled out the broken toy. Bonnie took him with a smile.

As they rolled down the street, her mother watched her in the rearview mirror. "You just want to rescue every toy you see, don't you?"

"Somebody's got to!"

"You're just like your Great-Grandpa." The car rolled to a slow stop at a school crosswalk. "He fixes toys, you know. Or he used to anyway."

Bonnie looked up. "Do you think Great-Grandpa can fix Mister Clown?" The car began to drive again but Mrs. Anderson didn't answer. "Mommy?"

"Bonnie, Great-Grandpa is very old. And very sick. When he comes over for Thanksgiving, I don't want you bothering him."

"But Mommy..."

"What Grandpa needs," said Mrs. Anderson firmly. "Is peace and quiet. Understand?" Bonnie didn't answer. "Bonnie?"

She sighed. "I understand." As the car drove down Sycamore Street, Bonnie looked at the toy in her hands. "But then who's going to make you all better, Mister Clown?"


	3. Chapter 3

3:

* * *

It wasn't long after Mr. and Mrs. Anderson had kissed Bonnie good night and left her room that the child dove under her covers with a flashlight.

She focused the spotlight on the clown doll. "How you doin', Mister Clown?" she whispered. The toy stared blankly at her. "Guess what? Tomorrow's Thanksgiving! The whole family's gonna be here! Grandma and my cousins and my aunts and uncles...Mom says 'it's our year', whatever that means." She propped herself up on her elbow. "Great-Grandpa is going to be here too but Mom said not to bother him. I guess you heard that though. Hmmm..." She touched where the stuffing was emerging from his body. "I wonder what happened to you anyway. Whatever it was I hope it didn't hurt." She stood him up on his large floppy shoes. "If Great-Grandpa can't fix you though, who can?"

Bonnie rested her chin on her arms. She frowned. "You know what, Mister Clown? I said I was gonna help you and that's what I'm gonna do!" She kicked off the covers and jumped to the floor. _"'I meant what I said and I said what I meant! An elephant's faithful one hundred percent!'"_ Racing to the door, she called over her shoulder, "I'm just gonna have to fix you myself!"

* * *

Sneaking past the kitchen, Bonnie could see her parents with their backs turned. "No, I'm not making the Walnut Stuffing this year. You know my sister's allergic to nuts."

"Your sister's allergic to everything..."

Bonnie dropped to her stomach and crawled to the living room. Her mother's sewing basket was by the fireplace. "There it is!" She crept to the basket and stuck her hand inside.

Suddenly there were footsteps.

Mr. Anderson walked in. "So if we use Bonnie's play table for the kids, that's another four seats covered right?" He started flipping through a 'Good Housekeeping' magazine. "Where's that recipe?"

"Did you pull out the old high chair for little Derek?" Mrs. Anderson called from the kitchen.

"Who in the blue blazes is little Derek?"

"Oh for goodness sake! My Cousin Anna's baby!"

"Anna? I thought she lived in Crescent City!"

"She _does_ live in Crescent City! But she's flying in with little Derek tomorrow!"

Mr. Anderson growled. "Great," he muttered, tucking the magazine under his arm as he stalked out of the living room. "Now I have to find more chairs."

Bonnie peeked out from behind the sofa. "That was close." She smiled at the spool of thread in her hand. "Perfect."

* * *

In her bedroom, Bonnie flipped on the light on her nightstand. She held up the clown so he could see. "Look what I got! It's even green! My favorite color!" She turned him on his side. "From now on it can be yours too, okay?"

After getting safety scissors from her closet and snipping off a length of string, she pulled the needle out from where it had been stuck in the thread. She held up the needle and carefully aimed the thread at the eye...

And missed. "Aw..." She frowned. "Huh." She stuck her tongue out and tried again. And again. At one point she set the needle down and paced around her room before returning to the bed to try again.

It took eighteen attempts but finally the two connected. "Yes!" Bonnie winced at the loudness of her own voice. "Sorry," she whispered. "I mean, _yes!"_

Holding the clown in her hands, she said, "Now, this will feel like a little pinch. Don't look at what I'm doing 'cause that'll make it worse. If you're a good clown and don't cry, afterwards I'll buy you a milkshake, okay?"

She held the needle over his tear. "I'll count. One...two...three!" The point sunk into the fabric. "There, that's not so bad is it?" Sewing was harder than her Mommy made it look but she kept at it. On and on until the rip was completely mended.

Bonnie held him up to study her work. "There! All better! And you didn't even cry! So now we get to go out for milkshakes just like I said!" She slid off the bed, clown in hand, and made her way to the flower shaped play table.

Sitting him in a chair, she said, "Now Mister Clown, for your reward for being so brave, would you like chocolate or vanilla?" Bonnie paused, as if listening. "Cotton candy marshmallow with peanut butter swirl? Why aren't your tastes sophiticad...sophisitica...You're weird!"

Walking over to her kitchen play set she picked up a cup then set it down in front of the clown. "You're lucky. That was the last cotton candy marshmallow with peanut butter swirl they had!"

Pulling out a chair next to him, Bonnie sat down. She stared at the toy. "I wonder if Great-Grandpa ever fixed a toy like you. Mommy said he was the best toy fixer ever before he got sick. I wonder if he misses fixing toys like you. I wonder..."

There were footsteps outside her bedroom door and Bonnie froze. The footsteps paused. _"All little girls named Bonnie better be in bed..."_

Like a shot, Bonnie had snatched the clown doll and raced to her bed. Switching off the light, she ducked under the covers, throwing them over her head. After holding her breath for a moment, she began to giggle. "Good night, Mister Clown," she said to the toy she still held. She placed a kiss on the top of his bald head. "Have happy clown dreams..."


	4. Chapter 4

4:

* * *

Bonnie spent much of the next morning watching the Macy's Day Parade with her toys as relatives arrived in a constant flow. Occasionally one would squat down to say how big she was getting and give her a pat on the head or a pinch on the cheek, but for the most part she was ignored. All of her cousins were teenagers who were more interested in their phones and each other. The only exception was Little Derek, and he couldn't even lift his own head yet.

Mrs. Anderson seemed agitated. "Where are they?" she kept muttering as she moved back and forth between kitchen and dining room. "He should have been back by now..."

On the television yellow clad cheerleaders with red pompoms had just started a routine when the door opened. Mr. Anderson stuck his head inside. "Julia? We're here..."

Mrs. Anderson was placing cloth napkins on the table but she stopped what she was doing. "Finally!" She dashed to the door. "What took so long?"

"Just traffic. You know it's a holiday."

In the living room, Bonnie grabbed the clown under her arm and crawled on her knees to the open archway to get a better look.

Mrs. Anderson's back was turned. "Grandpa! Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Here," said Mr. Anderson. "Let take your coat..."

"I don't need you to take my coat! I'm perfectly capable of taking it off myself!"

Mrs. Anderson moved and Bonnie finally could see her Great-Grandfather. He was an ancient old codger of ninety, with clear blue eyes and a large nose. His eyebrows were bushy and the hair on the top of his head was nonexistent. He was scowling.

"We've set up a nice recliner for you in the den away from the noise," said Mrs. Anderson. "You can relax and we'll bring you a nice cup of tea." They started to guide him to the back of the house. Bonnie took the opportunity to follow.

"I don't want tea! I want a gin fizz!"

"Now Geri, even if your doctor approved we don't have any gin."

In the den, Bonnie's mother set him gently in the chair as though she were afraid he might break. Meanwhile her father tucked an old red afghan onto his lap. They stood back and beamed. "There! Isn't this nice, Grandpa?"

Bonnie noticed the Old Man still looked grumpy. In fact, he hadn't smiled once since he had arrived.

"Dinner will be in two hours," said Mrs. Anderson as she and her husband moved to the door.

"I suppose you'll want to chew it for me too."

"I'll be back with your tea in a few minutes."

Bonnie peeked into the now almost empty den. Great-Grandpa sat alone in his recliner, arms crossed and shoulders hunched.

"He sure doesn't seem very happy," she said as softly as she could to the clown doll. "I thought Mommy said he _wanted_ peace and quiet..."

"Who's there?" Great-Grandpa suddenly said gruffly. "I can hear you whispering outside the door. I may be old but the ears aren't gone yet."

Bonnie gasped, squeezing the clown to her chest. She hadn't meant to be heard. Would she be in trouble now?

"Well, are you going to come in or not?"

Timidly, Bonnie peered in the doorway. Slowly, she stepped inside. Great-Grandpa looked her over with his large blue eyes. "Oh, it's just you."

In a trembling voice barely above a whisper, Bonnie said, "I'm-I'm...B-Bonnie..."

"I know who you are. You're Julia's girl. What do ya want?"

Bonnie gulped. "N-nothing," she whispered.

"Speak up, Child. I might not be deaf but I ain't got the ears of a jackalope."

Bonnie stared at her Grandfather. She didn't know what a jackalope was but his ears were enormous. They had hair sticking out of them too...

 _"Well?"_

Bonnie startled at the sound of his voice. "Nothing!" she said louder. "Mommy said you need quiet!"

"Oh she did, did she?" He sat back and grumbled, "Of course she did. Have a TIA or three and suddenly all the young folk start mollycoddling you..."

"I can't spell yet," Bonnie said flatly.

They stared at each other for a moment. Bonnie was just thinking of running out the door when Great-Grandpa pointed to her hand. "What's that?"

She had forgotten about the clown doll. Tentatively she held it up so he could see.

Taking it from her, the Old Man began to examine the toy. "Rubber head and limbs," he muttered to himself. "Beanbag body...sustained some water damage...paint could use a touch up...What's this?" He had discovered the stitches. "Busted seam. Someone tried to sew him up but it looks like it was done by a..."

He stopped speaking. Slowly lowering the toy, he looked at Bonnie.

Before she knew it, the words came tumbling out. "I...I tried to fix him! Just like you would've done, Grandpa! Mommy said you're the best so I tried to help the toy just like you would have!"

"Bonnie!"

Bonnie turned. In the den doorway stood her mother, holding a tray with a kettle and mug. "Bonnie, what did I tell you about bothering Great-Grandpa?"

Bonnie could feel the tears rising as she dropped her head low. She was in for a time-out now.

Suddenly, she was being lifted from behind. And before she knew it, she was sitting on Great-Grandpa Geri's lap.

He handed her Mister Clown. "You did a good job," he whispered.

Bonnie threw her arms around the Old Man's neck and hugged him as tightly as she could.

For the first time, Grandpa smiled. "Is that my tea, Julia?"

Mrs. Anderson looked astonished. "Oh! Y-yes...unless...you'd rather have a soda, Grandpa..."

"Tea sounds fine, my Dear. Just needs some sugar. I always take three lumps." He winked at Bonnie. "Just because the real teeth are gone don't mean I lost my sweet tooth!"

"Can I have tea with lumps too?" Bonnie asked eagerly.

Mrs. Anderson smiled with a shake of her head. "You certainly may."


	5. Chapter 5

5: Present Day

* * *

The sun was beginning to set outside the bedroom window, catching a red glow on the children inside. "That's when I decided," Bonnie said, looking at the clown toy in her hands.

Mason lay on his stomach, resting his head on his arms as his listened. "Decided what?"

"That when I grow up I'm going to be a toy fixer like Great-Grandpa. Mom's teaching me more about sewing but I still got a lot to learn about everything else."

"Your Grandpa sounds neat," said Mason. "Do you think I could meet him someday?"

Bonnie didn't answer but continued to look at the clown. "Bonnie? What's wrong?"

"Great-Grandpa..." she said slowly. "Died the next April."

Mason sat up, his brown eyes wide. "Gosh Bonnie, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to..."

Bonnie finally looked at him, a small smile on her face. "It's okay, Mason. 'Cause Mom said Grandpa went to Heaven. And I like to think that now that he's in Heaven he gets to spend all day fixin' and playin' with toys. Just like he used to."

Mason scooted closer. "That's a nice thought."

"I told Mom that. She said he probably takes the evening off to play chess with the Angels."

A feminine voice broke through Bonnie's bedroom door. "Kids, are you hungry? The chicken fingers are ready!"

Mason jumped to his sneakers. "Oh boy, I'm starved!"

"Me too," Bonnie agreed. She started to follow him out the door but then hesitated. Walking back to her nightstand, she placed her clown toy on top. Nearby was a small wooden picture frame, painted light green. Inside was a photo of Bonnie and her Great-Grandfather with smiling, happy faces.

"Bonnie? Where are you?"

"I'm coming!" Turning back to the nightstand, Bonnie picked up the toy. Cradling him in her arms, she hugged him tight. "See you soon, Mister Clown." She set him down and then smiled at the picture. "See you, Grandpa." Then she turned and skipped out.


End file.
